Two stadium designs for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been revealed by the Japanese Sports Council.
A winning design for the 80,000-capacity arena is expected to be chosen this month. Both the designs in question have a construction budget of ¥153bn (US$1.26bn, €1.14bn, £832m), putting them within the council's ¥155bn (US$1.28bn, €1.16bn, £848m) budget.
Design A has a flat roof and shrubbery along its outer concourse, stands 50m tall (164ft) and has a combined steel and wood structure. The 54.3m-tall (178ft) Design B features outer glass walls and 72 wooden pillars.
The Japan Sports Council did not identify which architects are behind the designs, although reports in Japan have indicated that one proposal may have been submitted by a joint venture involving construction company Taisei Corp, while the other may have been put forward by a venture between Takenaka Corp, Shimizu Corp and Obayashi Corp.
Work on both proposals would have an expected completion date of 30 November 2019, apart from landscaping and surrounding work.
“We will work to ensure a stadium that will be loved by all,” said Sports Council president, Kazumi Daito.
British architect Zaha Hadid had originally designed the Olympic Stadium, but Japanese president Shinzo Abe withdrew the plans as stadium costs surpassed original estimates. Earlier on
this month the Japanese Sports Council struck a funding agreement for the stadium with Tokyo authorities and the Japanese government.
